Vocalize
by paopufruit-to-go
Summary: She tapped her arm, catching the blonde's attention. "Naminé, is that boy deaf? He won't speak a word." Naminé gave a pitiful glance, answering as best as she could. "No one knows, Kai, he's never opened his mouth to tell."
1. Knowing

**04/01/12**

Good evening, April. I know I should have worked on my other story, but I had to get this out; the idea's been killing me. It just had to be written. Hope you guys like it, I personally think the ending could have been better.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

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><p><strong>Vocal<strong>ize_—Koewodasu_

**.::1::.**

_K_**now**_ing_

The girls glared at her, whispering crude things about her as she passed by. The boys simply stared, some wolf-whistling in her direction. Kairi smiled sweetly back, giving the hormone-crazed boys a flip of the finger, continuing her way to the auditorium, tucking her displaced wine-red locks back behind her ear. Head held high, she silently walked through the entrance of the auditorium, eyes watching her every action until their curiosity moved elsewhere. Kairi strode down the aisle, taking a seat near the doors for a quick escape. Sighing, she shrugged off her weightless backpack, setting it down to the ground, its form turning limp and dead on the cement ground beneath her Converse-clad feet.

The redhead glanced around her, contemplating about how she would adjust to her new surroundings. Her subdivision had been rezoned, so others from her previous school that had passed by gave a shy wave or nod in her direction, yet each familiar face walking by showed signs of confusion in their eyes. She simply sat, waiting for her best friends that promised to find her during the juniors' assembly, though she was starting to have great doubts due to the slowly growing mass of students coming in. Her hair fell out of place once more, causing her to sigh as she looked down to her feet, slowly pulling it behind her ear once more.

"Having trouble, sweetheart?" a flirtatious voice spoke from behind her, causing her eyes to narrow as she straightened herself out, carefully turning around to find the source of the voice, face blank for the recipient. The boy had to be a junior; it would only explain his presence in the auditorium. Kairi inwardly grimaced, realizing that she'd be likely to see his face more often than she'd prefer. A smirk was glued to his lips, icy eyes looking her up and down, his lips turning upwards even more once he finally came back to look at her disgusted face. He leant down on the back of her seat, his face leaning in close to hers, breath hot on her mouth once he spoke, almost causing her to gag at the distance. "Name's Seifer. I can always help you out, babe. What do you say, we skip this joint and go elsewhere." he drawled, winking at her as his head jerked towards the door, probably trying to make a suggestive move.

Kairi stood up, smiling at the blonde boy, whose hair was hidden under a gray beanie. The blonde grinned mischievously, stepping around the seats to meet her at the end. The redhead shook her head, gesturing him to stay in place from where he stood. More students filed into the theater, looking at the pair, whispering disdainfully about the two. Looking down to smooth out her shirt, she finally looked up, eyes cold and hard from the stare-down she was giving him, a smile still planted on her face, stating in a firm voice, "Look here, Seifer. I came to school to actually go to class and learn, not fuck around like the whore you are and flunk out of school." Seifer glared down at her, realizing he hadn't chosen the right chick to hit on during the first day of school. "Unlike you, I plan to get a diploma and earn money, not go around splurging on alcohol and crack. Get that? I'm not a dumbass." Kairi glared back into his eyes, grabbing the front of his shirt roughly to pull him down to her height and within four inches of her face, voice calm with poison. "Not like you. Now go fuck a bitch." The boy glared harshly at her, accepting his defeat reluctantly as he tried to play it cool, walking off with long strides, yet the gait showed his agitation, how humiliating it was for him to not catch her as he thought he would. Kairi scoffed, taking her seat once more, not sure if she should allow her aggressive Taurus side to show anymore.

A shuffling was heard from her left, a voice speaking admiringly, smooth and deep. "You are one kind of heroine." Kairi looked up, making sure her face was expressionless once more, staring up at the sunkist-blonde standing beside her, who seemed to look disarming with the gentle sloping smile on his lips, eyes showing no signs of aggression or desire, just ease and peace. The redhead nodded, letting him know she acknowledged his presence. He continued, saying, "Hey, I'm Roxas." He stuck his hand out, allowing Kairi to notice he was slightly muscled and had a light tan from the dim lighting of the theater.

Realization slammed into her, eyes widening as she stared at the hand, then back at his confused face. Standing, she stuttered, "You're Roxas. _Roxas_." He gave her a quizzical look, extremely confused at her reaction. "You're Naminé's boyfriend!" Roxas looked down, a light smile playing on his lips at the mention of Naminé's name. He turned back to face Kairi, who's eyes shimmered with joy, an honest and warm smile shining under the overhanging lights. Kairi continued, head cocked to the side as her eyes bore straight into his cobalt orbs. "I've heard so much about you, Roxas. Naminé absolutely adores you." The blonde beamed at the statement, shuffling from foot to foot in embarrassment. "But," Kairi started, her eyes challenging, "If you hurt her, you're in for it. She's the only cousin I'm aware of having, and I have no siblings. She's practically my sister—hurt her, and you'll end up running to Europe." Roxas grinned, having already been warned by his girlfriend that Kairi was protective of her family and friends and knew how to defend herself when needed.

"I understand, but I do hope you'll see I mean no harm to her, she's stuck with me ever since I moved here. I could never even think of hurting her." Roxas said wistfully, as if remembering the day he met Naminé. "So when she asked me to go find someone that looked exactly like her but with red hair, I had to follow through with my word. Are you ready to go?" Kairi frowned in thought, staring at him as she considered his demeanor. After a few seconds, she nodded and revealed a kind bright smile, picking up her backpack that had been neglected on the floor, slinging it over her shoulders as she followed Roxas's lead, weaving in and out of students and aisles, their eyes somehow always finding her as a focal point of observation.

They walked briskly to the other side of the auditorium, sparser than the other, much to the redhead's relief. A group was huddled in the corner, consisting of a silver-haired boy whose back was turned to the approaching pair, having a well-muscled body, his hair layering down to the base of his neck. Two other girls stood by him, one holding his hand and the other standing in front of the two, both petite and likely to be Kairi's height. The girl who held the boy's hand had jet-black hair, reaching its longest length at the base of her neck as well, jagged layers making it stand out in a simplistic way. The girl on her own was facing their direction, her glacier-blue eyes seeming to smile with her lips, her platinum-blonde hair draped over her right shoulder, bangs hovering over her right eye and on top of her forehead. Her pale skin glowed under the weak lights, making her seem see-through.

As Kairi and Roxas approached, the blonde female beamed with joy, walking up to her cousin with a gentle expression, her friends turning around to find what had caught her attention. Naminé looked up at Roxas affectionately, giving him a quick peck on the cheek as a thank you for his completed mission. She then turned her attention to Kairi, instantly pulling the redhead into a hug, saying, "It's good to know I can count on my boyfriend to get you." Naminé pulled away, flashing her a jovial grin. Kairi giggled as Naminé continued, starting with a content sigh. "Well, now we can finally keep you all to ourselves." She winked, earning more laughs from the redhead.

Kairi hummed, nodding as she glanced at Riku and Xion. "Yeah, it'll be great to finally be with my best friends again. We planned this since—"

"The middle of June." Xion interrupted, dragging Kairi into one of her usual one-armed hugs. Despite the 'less-loving' gesture, it held as much warmth as Naminé's hug. "Oh, goodness, I have been ready to hang out with you at school for the longest time. I'm so happy you got rezoned," Xion gave her a sympathetic look, continuing, "Just sucks 'cause you'll be missing all your other friends, huh?"

Kairi frowned, looking to the ground in thought. Sure, back at her old school, she had a good amount of friends, but none that she could truly confide in like the way she did in the phone calls or chats with Naminé, Xion, or Riku. She shook her head, smiling, "No, not really. The only close friends I had there moved here with me, so it doesn't really make a difference."

Riku placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, silently asking for a hug as she complied by wrapping her arms around her only male best friend. "That's good for you." He said with a small warm smile, releasing her as he took Xion's hand back into his, their fingers lacing together in sync. He gestured to the seats, voice soft under the chatter of other students, "Take a seat, Kai, the assembly is going to start soon." She nodded, moving to the end of the aisle as she let the two couples sit together.

Despite being with her friends, it felt awkward on her part, being the third wheel since they were all talking amidst to their partner. While the principle droned on about how wonderful it was to receive more students and about the programs, Kairi noticed a boy in the far corner, his back against the wall with closed eyes, copper-brown hair spiked around the frame of his face. The lights showed that he had a California-worthy tan and body, being thin yet slightly muscular, almost like the way Roxas was. It seemed strange to her how much his face reminded her of Roxas's. Kairi thought into it, blocking out the student representatives that were speaking on stage. Could they be related? She gave another quick glance at the boy, instantly looking away when she found piercing blues looking back at her. _Breathtaking_.

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><p>The group of five walked out of the auditorium doors, the bright sunlight streaming through the glass hallways, almost burning at first sight. Riku led them towards the gym, the place where the principle had instructed them to leave for to get their schedules. They all separated, each going to the line with the range of the initial of their last name. Kairi, Naminé, and Xion stuck together, their last names under the same range, 'K' and 'L.' Riku and Roxas had each gone off to other stations, standing idly behind the long line of students awaiting in front of them. Kairi noticed the brunette from the theater walk next to Roxas, his eyes sullen as Roxas patted his back comfortingly. Naminé stared at her boyfriend and his company morosely, her hands gently raking through her flaxen hair. Kairi stayed quiet, feeling like she was intruding on a private moment. She forced her eyes away, looking around the room for anything to attract her attention. The brunette had an air of melancholy feelings, making Kairi curious and sympathetic for him. Her mind strayed as she came up to the teacher, who asked emotionlessly, "Last name?"<p>

"Lieke, Kairi." She stated, leaning on her foot as she waited for the man behind the table to get her schedule. She dusted off her jeans and pulled down the bottom hem of her shirt, looking up to find a schedule placed on the table in front of her. Muttering quietly as she picked up her itinerary, she thanked the teacher, standing off to the side as Naminé and Xion repeated the process. The girls walked off to the side of the gym, where Roxas and Riku were waiting. Comparing schedules and routes with the map on the back of their papers, each left with a smile and grin on his or her face. They each had class with at least one of their friends, conveniently all having the same fifth period, thus having the same lunch. Life was too kind for them as they each headed off to their designated class.

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><p>By the time fifth period rolled by, Kairi was irritated to her wit's end. A good amount of guys had tried to hit on her, all being declined kindly unlike the blonde earlier in the morning. Her friends had all snickered at her predicament, reminding her that the attention was specifically on her because they knew nothing of her, assuming this or that due to her beauty. The redhead sighed, slouching in her seat, a simple black-topped lab table with another chair on her side. Setting her backpack into her lap, she waited mournfully for class to begin. Who knew what else could happen in this period. <em>At least lunch is coming soon<em>, she thought with relief, pulling her claret hair into a ponytail. A tap on the shoulder caused her to turn around, her nose inches from a clipboard that was held in front of her face. A melodic voice spoke, "I'm Ms. Lockhart. Your name, dear?"

"Kairi Lieke."

The woman scribbled on her papers, the pen tapping on the wooden board. "Good, you got into the right seat. The person I assign to that seat," her pen pointed to the seat beside Kairi, "will be your partner for the semester, unless you two cause trouble." Kairi nodded, pulling her papers closer to her so she wouldn't cause trouble later on. Ms. Lockhart walked to the door, greeting the students filing into the class, showing them their seats with a point of her pen. Naminé, Roxas, Xion, and Riku walked in, each giving her a smile or a grin as they took the seats: Naminé with Riku at a table right next to her and Xion with Roxas in the far back. _So much for my luck_, Kairi thought solemnly, shrugging off the fact that she wouldn't be able to sit with someone she already knew. As she glanced around, she noticed all the students were partnered with someone of the opposite gender, almost making her pale at the thought of being stuck with someone like Seifer for half a year.

_No, I won't meet any creeps, _she tried to calm herself, taking in a deep breath, _this is an AP class. No, these boys would have to have some manners…_

The chair next to her creaked, signaling the arrival of her partner. Just as soon as he came, the tardy bell rang, notifying the teacher to close the door and greet the class as a whole. Kairi still hadn't taken a look at her partner yet, who remained silent and not trying to catch her attention. Ms. Lockhart set her clipboard down, smiling brightly at her class. "Welcome to AP physics, students. I'm Ms. Lockhart, as you know, and I hope you all will enjoy this class despite the strict curriculum. The assignments I assign are usually partner activities, which is why I'm giving you this week to get comfortable with him or her. As you get to know each other, try not to get too loud, alright?" She dismissed them to their chatter, taking a seat behind her desk to get the attendance of her class written down.

Only now did Kairi glance at her partner. It was the boy who seemed grieved by something of his past, the brunette with the stunning blue eyes. Kairi flashed a kind smile, hoping she didn't scare him with her past on-looking. He stared at her blankly, turning his head back to stare at the tabletop that was in front of him. The redhead inwardly sighed, blowing at a strand of hair that fell down her face. "Well, uhm," Kairi said nervously, drawing a leg up onto her seat, "I'm Kairi, what's your name?" He glanced at her, his bangs hanging over watching orbs, casting a dark shadow over his stellar eyes. Sitting up straight, he faced her, face still expressionless. He held his hands up, his fingers making symbols and movements to represent words and letters of sign language. _I don't speak. _Kairi blinked, surprised. She had taken sign language at her previous school for her language credits, having told herself it was something more interesting to think on than Spanish or French. "You don't speak, yet you can hear me?" She replied to his message, unsure whether to sign him back or to simply talk to him. The brunette tried to mask his surprise, the emotion flashing only for a brief second as he nodded his head cautiously. Kairi bit her lip, excusing herself from his company as she walked the few feet to Naminé's seat. She tapped her arm, catching the blonde's attention. "Naminé, is that boy deaf? He won't speak a word."

Naminé gave a pitiful glance, answering as best as she could. "No one knows, Kai, he's never opened his mouth to tell." The blonde paused, her mind reeling in thought. "He doesn't even tell the teachers his name verbally, just through pen and paper." Kairi's shoulders slumped, feeling lost as of what to do. She had no problem communicating with him—she understood the boy just fine. It just seemed difficult to reach out to him. Naminé sighed, looking longingly at the brunette. "He's Roxas's cousin; they moved to America together for reasons Roxas still doesn't feel like telling me. He says it's because 'he has to agree to it first, it's his past, too.' Roxas says because of that past, he just…" She struggled with her words, unsure of what to say, "Stopped talking. He doesn't speak to his parents or Roxas at all, apparently, but if he does, it's little phrases in Japanese." Kairi frowned, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. She herself was Japanese, once with a fluent tongue, now upset at how the English language had dominated her. Naminé patted her arm, gesturing to the boy. "Go talk to him, Kairi, he needs a friend other than family. Maybe you can break that wall."

Kairi looked back, watching the boy, who had taken out a notebook, music notes scrawled all over the lines in a neat and complicated composition, writing something in the corner of his paper. "That'd be nice." Kairi replied, almost to herself, quickly thanking Naminé for her words as she ventured back to her seat. She tapped the boy's shoulder, giving him a warm smile.

He stared at her, eyes boring right into hers. She noticed how dead they were, the life drowned out of them, yet holding the hue and life of the afternoon sky. "You had eyes just like her." He said softly, his eyes somber in memory. He got up and walked out of the classroom, the teacher aware but not stopping him, closing the door quietly behind him, having left a scrap of paper in his place. Kairi stilled, muscles tense to find many students staring at her, having heard the boy's first words ever spoken since moving and starting school in America. She carefully plucked the paper off the table after the eyes looked elsewhere, reading the neat print written on the ripped corner.

_The name's Sora._

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><p>Oh, my goodness. This could've turned out a little better. I'm unsure whether to keep or delete. Opinions and reviews, please? Thanks~<p>

_-paopufruit-to-go_


	2. Selective

**04/08/12**

Happy one-week birthday, **Vocal**ize! Please take note! **Japanese text/speaking will be in bold; **_**emphasis in Japanese will be in bold italics**_. _Sign language will be in italics _(may also represent thoughts if not for communication)_. _This will be a strictly used code—if you find bold within italics or plain text, then this means Japanese _is _being spoken within the signing/English dialogue (vice versa for plain text in bold). Thank you~

(See you down there at the end~!)

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts or the Wikipedia article within this chapter~

**Vocal**ize_—Koewodasu_

**.::2::.**

_**Select**__ive_

All the bright colored eyes stared at her, curious and slightly bewildered from what had happened in the recent hour. Kairi groaned, swiping off the remaining crumbs from her seat, "Not you guys, too!" The girls cast her a sheepish look, while the boys reluctantly turned back to eating, the sounds of obnoxiously loud chewing a lame attempt to mask the tension in the air. Moaning mournfully, the redhead propped her elbows onto the table, resting her throbbing head into her hands, mumbling incoherent curses in Japanese to herself.

Roxas cautiously looked up at her, brows furrowing into one another as he called her out of her distant ramblings, "Kairi." She refused to pick her head up, her claret hair swaying slightly back and forth to represent her shaking head, the mumbling dying down at the sound of his voice. Roxas growled, face contorted in impatient anger as he slammed his fist down onto the table, causing Xion's SoBe tea glass bottle to rattle on its bottom. Kairi glanced up with one peeking eye, somewhat startled by the sunkist-blonde's action. "Kairi, look at me." She reluctantly heaved herself up and off the table, tucking her falling bangs behind her ears. Her hands were folded stiffly in her lap as she watched Roxas with careful eyes, his own steely with anger as he stared down at her, "What did he say, Kairi? I have to know." She sighed, rubbing her arms with cold hands. The redhead noticed how Naminé, Xion, and Riku looked a little ways off, not wanting to break the invisible barrier between her and Roxas.

Kairi looked into his eyes as she answered, noticing how his expression changed: from anger to rueful—like it hurt him that his cousin spoke to a stranger before his own family. And more than likely, that was the reason. The girl felt guilty, poking her air-filled bag of pomegranate arils, careful to not burst any of the white-tipped crimson seeds. The boy gently grabbed the plastic bag, allowing the redhead to notice his black checkered bracelet and black and white rings on his left hand, not protesting when he took it away from her. She sighed, seeing no way to escape his impending questions. "Alright, Roxas, I'll tell you. But tell me something first," she began, hands wringing together above the wooden surface, "has Sora never talked to you in school before?"

Roxas's eyes averted their intense gaze on hers, watching Naminé laugh with Xion and Riku. He turned his gaze back, eyes hazy and growing dull, answering, "No. He hasn't." He pinched the bridge of his nose, rubbing his face briefly to let out some tension. He gave her a serious look, continuing, "Can you tell me what he told you now?" The redhead breathed out slowly, closing her eyes to help relieve herself of the thick air between them. Roxas looked down at the wood grain, letting his fingers chase the dark misshaped circles, voice quiet as he spoke, "Please, Kairi. He's all I have left."

She couldn't bear to avoid the blonde anymore, her eyes opening to stare at the tiled ceiling. The emotion in his voice had broken her resistance, making her feel overwhelmed in guilt she couldn't find the origin of. Her eyes gave a long sideways glance in his direction, finding his face in a deeper and more defined morose expression than before. It practically broke her heart. "I... He said something along the lines of 'you had eyes just like hers', I believe." Her lips frowned in confusion, thinking back on the brunette's words. _'Eyes just like hers'... Did Sora have a girlfriend? _She contemplated briefly on the thought, brows creasing over her sapphire eyes as she reflected over Sora's cryptic words, snatching back her bag of arils from Roxas, sucking the juice from each seed and promptly spitting them out onto a white napkin.

Across the table, she ceased to notice Roxas's reaction, whose eyes widened in realization at his cousin's message to the redhead, staring straight into her eyes the way Sora had done earlier. Looking away, the boy rubbed his bracelet, tracing the checkers' outlining, tapping his white ring in relentless thought. His eyes searched past wandering student bodies and at a small patch of visible blue sky through the window, mind racing. _He still remembers her; he still remembers Aqua._ Anguish quickly ran over his serene melancholy thoughts, teeth gritting in mental pain. _He never talked to me about missing her. Why won't he communicate with me? Just 'cause they're gone doesn't mean he has to hide from me, too..._

"Roxas?" A gentle hand rested on his shoulder, forcing him to look up. Naminé. _At least I have you._

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><p>The door creaked as she opened it slowly, her head peeking in to find a various amount of shelves set against the wall, a beautiful flow of music coming from an unknown source inside the room. A few heads stared back at her as she entered, only to return to their papers soon after having their curiosity fulfilled. Kairi walked across the spotted linoleum floor, her footsteps making an eerie tapping sound between the playing notes as she walked towards the teacher, relieved she was one of the few early for her last class, Music Arts III Advanced. "Hi, there. I'm Ms. Heartilly, your class instructor. What may your name be, dear?" Ms. Heartilly spoke in a charming voice, her black caramel-streaked hair twisted into a messy yet favorable bun, bringing out her eyes and face quite well.<p>

"Kairi Lieke." The girl replied easily, trying to find who was playing the string instrument in the room, ending unsuccessful since the student was hidden behind the mobile whiteboard. Once hearing a hum from the teacher, she looked up, ready to take her leave.

"What a pretty name you have, Kairi. I believe you were the one from Irridant who auditioned with the piano?" The girl nodded, shuffling on her feet unsurely. "You audition was lovely. Alright, Kairi, your seat will be in the third row, chair five. You may do whatever you wish for today." The teacher smiled warmly at her, waving her off kindly as she greeted more students. As she walked towards the corner of chairs to search for her seat, Kairi noticed the same boy that had attracted her sight all day. _Sora_. One thing was different though—the boy was holding a viola, eyes closed as his arms stroked along the instrument's strings with his bow, fingers creating a magnificent vibrato throughout the room. _Was he really playing this whole time? _The intense strength the notes possessed showed how passionate he was about his playing, the movement of his arms and body displaying how lost in his music he was. 'Dearly Beloved' had never sounded more beautiful in Kairi's ears. Her breath was held tight within her lungs as carefully stepped her way towards the grand piano she had taken notice of earlier. Sora's eyes remained closed, his arm held steady as he moved the bow up and down with each note. Plopping onto the leather piano bench, Kairi took one last glance at the mysterious boy, twisting her head back to face the piano as she let her body take control of her fingers, letting them glide gracefully over the ivorite keys, playing in tune with Sora to create a worthy two-man orchestra.

Sora let a royal-blue eye drift open, keeping his other closed as he watched the redhead play in sync with his viola's notes. He slid his eye closed again, the feeling of being tied to an unattainable peaceful life suddenly clawing at his heart. He pushed down on his bow harder, the tone of his notes coming out stronger than he could ever expect, feeling a passionate fervor as he played along with the redhead's notes. Nothing else in the world could stop the pair's performance—no sound, no person, no force. It was just them two in their own lost world.

The brunette paused in his thoughts, his arms still instinctively playing the melodic notes Yoko Shimomura had composed, now sounding somewhat stiff due to him being distracted. Snapping both eyes open, he craned his neck to look at Kairi's form as best as he could, the viola restricting him from doing as he desired. The girl confused and surprised him in various ways, from being able to speak through sign language, a program Goodetrace had not been able to get a hold of, to playing the piano better than the average concert pianist.

He started to let his notes dwindle, the piano mimicking his declining intensity, for once letting the song be left to its original four minute composition instead of his usual seven minute play based off of Kyle Landry's rearranged piece. After a moment's thought, he realized how well the strange girl had played, with as much talent as the famous YouTube pianist himself. Inhaling deeply, he let his eyes glide to a close for a few seconds, opening them slowly as he set his viola down, letting it rest in its felt-interior case, twisting the knob that forced his bow to stay in place and clasping the case closed with a click of the lock. He watched the redhead, seeing her turn around on the bench to face him. Sora took an impulsive chance, hoping his actions wouldn't bite him back at the end of the day. "**You play well.**"

Kairi blinked, unsure how the boy knew she spoke Japanese, considering it was weak for a person of her roots. After assuring herself that she had translated his phrase correctly, she released a small nervous chuckle, her fingers acting as a comb as she dragged them through her ruddy hair. "**Thank you. I can say the same about you, too.**" The boy nodded in thanks,—or so she assumed—slinging his viola case over his shoulder, the black shell resting on his back as he checked his watch with exhausted eyes. He simply stood there, watching nothing, yet eyes seeming to concentrate on every detail of that nothing.

_Why does he have to be so damn mysterious? _Kairi thought almost bitterly as she watched his still figure, waving off the negative thoughts as she reflected back on her conversations with Roxas and Naminé. _'Because of that past, he just.. stopped talking', Naminé said. Roxas had never talked to his cousin in school—he never talked to anyone in school in general. Why me, why now? _Her thoughts bothered her, almost begging to burst and kill off her neurons. Her head started to ache, causing her to groan in pain as she shuffled past the boy, who observed her with blank eyes as she sat down in a random seat. Sora's head cocked at the dead air Kairi now possessed. He couldn't lie to himself—he was starting to care for the girl, only because she tried so hard to reach out to him: from playing along with his music to trying to communicate with him through sign language. It was only fair to be kind back, he told himself, walking his way to sit next to Kairi, taking the strap on his shoulder off smoothly and placing his case in the limited space between their chairs.

They sat in silence, neither comfortable nor awkward, just a silence of mutual respect hanging over each other. The two did nothing, the most being glances at each other as they dug their way into their thoughts, accepting the strange relationship they had developed. For now, that was more than enough.

_I'll fight my way into his walls, no matter the cost,_ Kairi told herself, frowning in thought as she took one last glance at the boy, the dismissal bell ringing just as soon as he took one himself, eyes seeming to find a new destination to run to, not looking as empty and void as before. Nodding once in her direction, he slung the case's strap over his shoulder in the same fashion as he did half an hour before, walking out of the double doors, his heart thumping to the same beat as the jangling encased viola on his back.

_She can't trespass my barriers; every single person I've let in ends up falling to the ground in the end. _

No hellos meant no good-byes. And that was all that mattered to the mute boy as he left the girl on her own in the corner.

* * *

><p>Kairi lay in bed, her claret hair fanning around her face on the white quilt beneath her. After having arrived home by the bus (public transportation didn't cost her gas now, did it?), she had dashed inside her house, wanting to escape the day's confusing events. The students had watched her incredulously, thinking it was strange of the girl since they knew she always liked to take a slow stroll home from the bus stop to enjoy the ever-changing scenery. It was no surprise to find no one residing in her house—her parents were consistently working at all hours to make sure she lived a carefree childhood. It made her feel extremely weak and child-like.<p>

Her eyes preyed on the white origami cranes hung on her ceiling, all strung to the surface by black thread and Scotch tape, whirring in place as they tried to escape her gaze to no avail, the thread restricting their forms like helpless marionettes. She sighed, letting go of her observant watch on the birds, turning her head to the side as she looked at her white board. The words in purple Expo read "07/28-Cranes: 267" at the very top. In the bottom left corner, she had drawn a teeny paopu fruit, having dried on the board a long time ago after weeks of not touching the easily-erasable piece of ink work. Next to it, she had "733" written in the same purple Expo, telling her how many cranes she had left to make a wish. Sitting up, she ran her fingers through her hair, feeling the need to make a few more cranes to get closer to her goal. Upon the completion of six cranes, her phone let out a melodic piano tone, the screen flashing as a greeting as she observed it. She rubbed away the date that was previously written on the board, replacing it with the current date, doing the same for the numbers. Only 727 more to go. Checking her phone once more, she read the screen, finding a new text.

**4:09 PM - You have one new message from: Unknown (703-013-8005) **

**703-013-8005: **_Hey, Kairi. Can we talk sometime later in the day? In person. –Roxas_

Kairi pursed her lips, the feeling of worry washing over her. Was something so wrong that he had to ask her instead of Naminé? Orientating her phone, she saved his number, replying back to him.

**Me: **_Uh, sure. Is something wrong? Let's meet at Serenity ES around 4:25. _

**Roxas:** _Not exactly. I'll explain once we get there, okay? See you there. _

Locking her phone, she walked out of her room, shoving the device into her front pocket as she looked around the corridor for her keys. The girl stopped by the kitchen, popping the cap of a dry erase marker, writing, "Going to be out for awhile; see you before 5:30!" on the whiteboard next to the fridge, grabbing a Clementine before rushing out the door. As she started the engine of her car, her eyes caught average sights in the rearview mirror, not thinking much of the trees or grass in her yard.

**..:::..**

To Roxas, those sights were as precious as life itself. He eyed each green blade of grass with thanks, eyes closed as he stood in the middle of the vacant field next to the playground, lamenting on memories he almost couldn't remember anymore after all the years of shoving them back in the hidden parts of his mind. A breeze billowed into his sweater, rustling his hair. Roxas opened his eyes, finding the short blades waving to-and-fro under its power. "Roxas, is that you?" Turning around, he found the redhead, her hair tied back in a ponytail to keep it from whipping at her eyes and cheeks.

He jerked his head towards the playground, "C'mon, let's take a seat." He climbed the stairs, taking a seat on the platform as he looked up to the sky. "What's your secret, Kairi?"

A silence followed his question, the sound of her fingers ripping apart her Clementine the only noise between the two before she answered, "What again?"

Roxas lifted a foot up to the platform's edge, letting his chin take comfort on his knee, continuing, "How did you get him to open up?"

"I-I don't know." Kairi stuttered, the conversation spiking her interest and confusing her all in one twist, popping a tart segment into her mouth as she threw the citrus peelings far into the field in front of them.

The blonde let out a monotone chuckle, eyes watching the clouds travel across the sky, "You know, he's never played at home. The viola, the piano, or even the guitar. He only plays at school to avoid us." The list of instruments surprised Kairi; she didn't think he'd play so many. The last statement tore her a little, feeling sorry that his family never got to hear Sora's music. "Look at this." Roxas gently set his smart-phone on the platform they were resting on, the screen white with black text.

_A child with selective mutism may be completely silent at school for years but speak quite freely or even excessively at home. There is a hierarchical variation among those suffering from this disorder: some people participate fully in activities and appear social but don't speak, others will speak only to peers but not to adults, others will speak to adults when asked questions requiring short answers but never to peers, and still others speak to no one and participate in few, if any, activities presented to them. In a severe form known as 'progressive mutism', the disorder progresses until the sufferer no longer speaks to anyone in any situation, even close family members._

_Besides lack of speech, other common behaviors and characteristics displayed by selectively mute people include:_

_-Blank expression and reluctance to smile_

_-Stiff and awkward movements_

_-Difficulty expressing feelings, even to family members_

The list continued on. Kairi started connecting the dots, glancing at Roxas for a quick second, who only stared at the sky as if it mesmerized him to a great extent. She bit her lip, continuing to read.

_On the positive side, many sufferers have:_

_-Above-average intelligence, perception, or inquisitiveness_

_-Creativity and a love for art or music_

_-Empathy and sensitivity to others' thoughts and feelings_

_-A strong sense of right and wrong_

She placed the phone back in its original spot, looking at Roxas. "You think he has this? Selective mutism?"

The sunkist-blonde turned his head, letting both his feet dangle off the ledge. "It would explain a lot. I mean, I kind of figured after a year, but I was never positive, just eighty to ninety percent sure. Never a hundred. I never had free reign of the internet until last month, you know, an overly-sheltered child, the school blocking websites, and the library always being a hassle." Kairi gave him a look, earning a pure-hearted chuckle from him. "Don't get me wrong, I was pretty well-attached with the world just through texts and newscasts on television. I never looked up what Sora might've had until now. Now I'm very sure of his 'condition' with this proof." He waved the phone in his hand, exiting the screen and pocketing the cellular device as he rested his weight on his hands. Head tilted back, he repeated his old question, "So how'd you get him to open up?"

Kairi drew her knees to her chest, shaking her head, the air sweet and citric from her Clementine, "I don't know, Roxas. I truly don't."

She didn't know Roxas had desired a different answer. _You don't get it, do you? You're special to him, and if you're what it takes to have him back in the light, I'll fight my hardest to have you two stay side by side forever._

* * *

><p>I cannot thank you all enough. I seriously can't. Thank you, <em>so<em> much, for reviewing, your opinions, your alerts, and your favorites. I mean, **11 reviews in 24 hours and 15 for a whole chapter**. Wow. Again, _**thank you SO** **much**_. You all made me feel so great about my first "real" work. I never imagined it'd become so... wanted. I almost cried, guys. And I'm a pretty heartless person (I'm pretty dead serious).

Thank you, reviewers, for your wonderful and uplifting reviews and tips. I have replied to all your comments/reviews; your reviews make me want to break down in joy. Thank you, thank you... I love you all so much.

Again, thank you so much, and if you didn't before, please read my A/N before the chapter began, it may clear things up! I'll write, you review, and thus the balance of FanFiction is created! Until next time~!

_-paopufruit-to-go_


	3. You Don't Know

**7/01/12**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Kingdom Hearts~

* * *

><p><strong>Vocal<strong>ize_—Koewodasu_

**.::3::.**

You Don't K**no**w

"_**But, Mamah, I don't like the big keys. They're so far from my fingers.**__" The girl commented, feeling intimidated by the grand piano in front of her. Her feet dangled a good half foot above the ground, fingers barely able to brush past the ten central keys on the board. _

_Kairi's mother shook her head, giving her a small smile of encouragement as she kneeled next the young redhead, "__**Oh, Kairi, you must play an instrument of beauty. If you don't play something gracefully, no one will ever love you.**__"_

_The girl pursed her lips, turning her head to her mother, voice quivering, "__**Do you love me, Mamah?**__"_

"_**I will if you play exquisitely for me, sweetie.**__" She smiled, kissing her daughter's red crown. Kairi nodded her head eagerly, listening to her mother as she pointed out notes and keys to the patient young girl. Even if she hated the piano, with its overly-loud key presses and intimidating size, she'd do it for her mother._

_All she ever wanted was to be perfect for her._

* * *

><p>The keys began sharply, ending in a soft tone as the frustrated teen slammed her forehead on the keyboard, creating a shriek of inharmonious notes. A groan was released from her parted lips, eyes closed in an attempt to hide her shame from her piano teacher. A small sigh sounded, seeming to resonate throughout the room in Kairi's ears.<p>

"Why don't we take a break?" Yuna's hand patted her shoulder comfortingly, bending forward to take a look at the sheet on the stand. She left Kairi to tread her thoughts alone, aware that the redhead's love for the piano was a constant internal battle within the girl's heart. Kairi let her warm breath condensate on the ivorite keys, the glare of the bulbs overhead losing its sharp edge as the fog overwhelmed it.

The deft patter of feet was the only company with Kairi's breathing, followed by the soft _pff_ of air escaping from a stitched seat. "You know, she'll still love you, even if you stop playing." Xion reminded her friend, tapping her knee with an index finger.

Kairi jerked upward, her fiery hair wavering briefly in the air before cascading down in front of her eyes. The raven's lips formed into a thin line, shifting her jaw left and right, her teeth slicing the inside flesh of her lips. The redhead spoke, her voice full of anguish, "She won't love me as much."

"That's not true."

There was a tense silence. "**As long as I'm imperfect, no one will love me.**" The redhead muttered, quietly thanking and saying goodbye to Yuna as she placed the music sheet back on the stand. The stiff notes of the composition escaped the piano with each key the girl played.

Xion rubbed her fingers on her forehead, sighing, slowly guiding it down to follow the curve of the bridge of her nose. They, being Naminé, Riku, and herself, have had the same argument with Kairi for the past ten years, no one having gained or lost on their side of the argument throughout the decade. "**Don't be ridiculous. Just because you don't like the piano doesn't mean anything.**"

"It means _everything _to _her_, Xion! **Everything I do tells me how much she loves me!**"

"**If she loved you, she wouldn't care what you loved or didn't love to do!**"

"**I know, Xion.**" Kairi looked up at her best friend, tucking her hair behind her ear. She closed her eyes, blindly playing a composition that had been forged in her mind from months ago. She responded after a minute, still playing the depressing tune, "That is why I'm imperfect in her eyes."

* * *

><p>The distinct sound of the chalk eraser gliding over the black chalkboard echoed throughout the room, a whispered breath here and there as Ms. Lockhart continued to erase all her side notes from the board, leaving a path of white dust in the its wake. A slow steady trail of students walked in the room, taking their designated seats and whispering amongst one another as they read the blackboard for the day's objectives. As Kairi walked through the open door, she noticed Sora had already taken his seat at their lab table, hunched over the blacktop with closed eyes, head resting on his crossed arms. The girl strolled over to the table, setting her items down slowly as she read the board, taking a brief glance at the sleeping boy afterwards. Kairi frowned momentarily, briefly questioning whether or not Sora would work on the day's assignments. The PA speaker let out a monotone ringing, signaling the start of class. "Good afternoon, class. Take your seats and settle down." A slow hush flooded over the class, the murmur of chatter instantly dying. Ms. Lockhart flipped through a few pages on her clipboard, nodding to herself as she counted the number of present heads in her classroom. She smiled kindly, pointing to the board, "Alright, as you see here, class, today we're doing a research packet for some experiments we are conducting later on this semester." She set her clipboard down, hefting a heavy mass of papers in her arm. "This assignment is to be completed by the end of class. You may work with your partner." She walked through the backpack-littered aisle, handing out the packets with an expert flick of her wrist.<p>

Upon receiving the stapled stack of papers, Kairi flipped through the pages, groaning when finding that the four attached pages were printed front and back. "May there be mercy on my damned soul." she muttered under her breath, reaching for her pencil and writing her name on the front page, reading a few of the questions printed on the page. Kairi let her wrist guide the lead point of her pencil, strokes of graphite resembling letters instantly appearing, those letters soon forming words. She bit her lower lip, unsure of the answers she had written down on the page. Kairi took a quick glance at the boy beside her, seeing his distressed position: head resting in the crook of his left arm, his free hand buried in his hair, constantly brushing and fisting his fingers through his spikes. Creased brows arched over narrow cobalt eyes, his pencil tapping lightly on the surface of the table as he worked on the first page. The redhead focused her gaze back on the papers in front of her, letting out an exasperated sigh, irritated that she couldn't work on the packet with ease.

Time passed by, one hasty minute after another. A blanket of dull chatter hung over the students, voices mumbling to one another, the sounds of writing utensils weaving through various words and phrases. Kairi breathed out a frustrated groan, kneading and twisting her soot-gray putty rubber eraser as she worked on the front of the third page, biting her swollen lip as her pencil hovered over a blank.

Frowning, she turned to Sora, desperate for help. With a swift tap on the shoulder, he turned to her, face emotionless as ever to company. She sighed, starting to sign a message to him. _Do you mind working together? I need some help with this packet. _Sora stared at her fingers after she finished signing, a slight crease arising on his forehead, masked by spiky sepia bangs. Kairi's frown deepened, clearing her throat to regain his attention. His eyes darted their gaze to her iris eyes, holding the girl's gaze for a few seconds before averting them back to his papers. The redhead's nostrils flared, letting out an irritated huff as she watched at the clock. Kairi's thoughts mingled and tangled into one another, all negative and full of aggravation: '_twelve minutes left in class, two wasted_','_I'm not going to get this damned packet done in time_'.

Her hand slipped under the papers, immediately flipping it over to allow her to face the fourth page. Kairi's eyes scoured over the printed text, scrawling over black lines, attempting to finish the packet within the last few minutes of class. Ms. Lockhart stood from behind her desk, walking up to the front of the class, announcing, "If you are finished, you may come up and give your packets to me. Once it is turned in, you may prepare to leave for your next class." The entire class stood, with the exception of Sora and Kairi, creating a scrambled line leading towards their teacher, feet sidestepping backpacks and peers. The sitting redhead groaned, only driven to work faster in desperate attempts to complete the packet. She couldn't help but feel somewhat bitter towards Sora, who, by glance, remained in the same hunched position from the start of class, having completed the front half of the fourth page. She turned back to her work, instantly wishing she hadn't taken that second to peer at her partner as the bell rang through the PA speaker. The classroom soon became empty of students, leaving Kairi and Sora to turn in their incomplete packets to Ms. Lockhart. As Kairi slung her backpack over her shoulder, she grumbled incoherently under her breath, nails creating painful crescents on the palm of her hand. The girl trudged on, creating an invisible path against the flow of the crowd. As she walked on, she hoped she could overlook the boy's uncooperative attitude—he was mute for a reason after all.

* * *

><p>Shenzi giggled, her laugh sounding similar to an interrupted bark on replay. Banzai and Ed, two boys who had remained at her side everyday ever since aiding her pull a school prank, helped Shenzi establish "The Hyena Trio", a group that consisted of the three where speculations, backstabbing, and pranks were started. "Well, well, well, look who we have here. It's Little Red." Shenzi grinned wickedly after her fit of giggles, seeming to have decided that the best time to confront the redhead was once school was let out for the day. Banzai snickered quietly, whereas Ed barked hysterically, uncaring of the few people that had stayed gawking his way. Kairi glared harshly at the brunette, feeling her irritation peaking at its high that afternoon. "Ha! She thinks she can scare me! Isn't she funny, Banzai?"<p>

Banzai chuckled more, his voice rasping as he spoke. "Oh, yeah! She don't know who she dealin' with, Shenzi!"

"Yeah, yeah!" Ed inputted helpfully, earning an exasperated sigh and eye roll from Shenzi.

"So," she continued, grinning widely at Kairi, "I've been talkin' to the other girls about how incredibly skinny you are. How'd you do it?"

Kairi squinted her eyes, watching Shenzi closely. "I see." She replied warily, skeptical of what to say. Shenzi was known for toying with words, turning the truth into its opposing meaning.

"Do you binge or just not eat at all?"

"What?" Kairi's cheeks burned, hot and feverishly. Her cheeks blossomed into a warm pink over her frosty pale cheeks, eyes still glaring brutally at the brunette in front of her. _No one needs to know._

She chuckled darkly, a mischievous glint shining in her eyes. "Oh, and Xion!" Shenzi declared mindlessly, as if remembering something, "I'm pretty sure Seifer banged her and Naminé good, am I right?"

The redhead clenched her fist, a vein convulsing beneath the skin of her wrist, ready to scream bloody hell at the girl. "You're pathetic, Shenzi. Get out of her face!" Kairi was immediately pushed back from the smirking brunette, as Riku suddenly barged in between them, his voice menacing and poisonous. Shenzi simply chuckled once more, her barking fits of giggles endless. Banzai scoffed at in Riku's direction, mustering an evil eye at the silverette. He sent a glare back, causing the Hyena Trio to disperse, promptly turning his attention back to their leader. "Don't go starting shit again, Shenzi! No one believes a word you say, so don't even try it!"

"I'm _so_ sorry that your girlfriend got banged by someone else first." She replied with fake empathy, her bottom lip jutting out in an unconvincing frown. Riku fisted Shenzi's unruly locks in his hand, yanking the strands upward to keep her head held high, forcing her to stare at the heavens, as if to make her beg for mercy from the gods. "Ow, fucking shit! Let me go, bitch!" Shenzi snarled, clawing at his hand in a desperate attempt to escape the teen's relentless grasp.

Kairi winced at the sight. She stepped up to Riku's side, placing a steady hand on his arm and shoulder, speaking in a soothing voice, "Riku," The boy turned his head towards the sound of her voice, his bangs hanging over his eyes. "Riku, please, let her go; none of us need you to get into trouble so early in the year." The boy sighed, bowing his head the slightest, expressing his submissiveness to his friend, and let go of Shenzi, who immediately skittered off to safety, shouting curses over her shoulder. The two stood there in silence together on the school patio, the wind reaching its arms out to them under the metal awning. "Are you alright, Riku?" Kairi asked quietly, tipping her head up and staring sadly at her best friend.

His lips formed a frown, lasting only for a few seconds as he regained his composure. By now, most, if not all, of the students had left campus grounds, eager to retire to their bedrooms and continue with their daily routine of eating, writing, solving, and sleeping. This left little company to spy on the redhead and silver-haired boy, as he opened his mouth and spoke in a bitter voice, "I'm fine. Wonderful." Kairi stayed silent, fully aware that her friend was lying—he could feel that she knew it, too. Riku sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment. "No, I'm not. I feel pathetic for letting Shenzi get to me. It was stupid of me—"

"You did it because you felt the need to protect someone you love, Riku. There is nothing wrong, pathetic, or stupid about it." Kairi explained, patting the bony joint of his shoulder comfortingly. "It's natural instinct to defend the ones you love. If you care or worry about someone, it is only right that you try to help them all you can."

Riku frowned for a fleeting moment, suddenly pulling Kairi into his arms for a hug. "Thank you, Kairi." He replied in a soft voice, releasing her from his arms. Kairi smiled kindly, patting his arm in a way as if to say _'no problem'_. They both walked across the parking lot together, heading towards Riku's lone car, taking their seats once the car was unlocked. As Riku drove off school grounds, Kairi enjoyed her time looking out the passenger window, staring up at the bright cloudless sky. _Just like his eyes._

* * *

><p>At the beginning of the period, Ms. Lockhart thanked the class for completing their packets, rewarding the students with a study hall. While most chattered quietly amongst themselves, Kairi took the time to make up for the couple of hours of lost sleep from the night before, despite her friends having called her over to join in on their conversation. It took half an hour for the girl to finally doze off, the cool desktop soon becoming warm as her breath touched it, having nowhere to escape from the confinements of her arms. Within fifteen minutes, the girl weakly woke up, peering at the brightly-lit world with one tired eye. She groaned, rubbing her face with the palm of her hand, trying to wake herself up.<p>

"Kairi, may I have a word with you?" her teacher called, finding that the girl had finally woken from her short slumber, beckoning the student over to her desk after placing a thin stack of papers on her desk. Kairi could only assume it consisted of her and Sora's uncompleted papers. The world didn't seem so hazy anymore, the request having caused her to suddenly wake up. She gritted her teeth, hiding her clenched molars behind a blank face. Kairi stood at the side of the desk, ignoring the clutter of paper clips, red pens, and papers spread out over the wooden surface, watching her teacher arrange two packets so they would lay side-by-side of each other. Kairi shot Sora a look of annoyance, who didn't seem notice, writing in his notebook at their table. "Kairi, you and Sora are the only two who didn't finish their packets. While you were sleeping, I had already called Sora up her to explain some terms."

Kairi gave her teacher a speculative look, replying unsurely, "Did he actually say anything to you, Ms. Lockhart?"

Her teacher frowned, her eyes scanning around the classroom. "No, he didn't. But," she emphasized, looking up at the student beside her, "I do expect you two to at least work together at some point in time during this class. The few times I looked up to check up on the class, I saw no cooperation between you two." Kairi bit her lip, playing with her fingers. Ms. Lockhart gave the girl an apologetic look, continuing, "I was hoping you would be able to at least get the front half of the fourth page done. Knowing that you're from Irridant, though, I guess your work has paid off." Kairi frowned in thought, knowing Ms. Lockhart's words were true. Despite Irridant being only a seven minute drive away, the curricular was extremely weak and loose; AP there was considered regular in Goodetrace. It didn't seem to be bounded to Goodetrace with the district's education regulations in any way.

Ms. Lockhart cleared her throat, hoping to gain the redhead's attention once again. Kairi's eyes snapped back to her teacher, apologizing quickly, "Oh, I'm sorry, Ms. Lockhart! Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

The black-haired woman tapped the end of her pen on her clipboard, writing a brief note as she shook her head. "No, there shouldn't be anything else you need to be told. Keep my word in mind though, will you, Kairi?" Kairi nodded, walking back to her desk, glancing at the clock, finding that there were only a few seconds left in class. She grabbed her backpack, soon taking a sideways glance at Sora. The same monotonous bell rang, leaving students to race out the door. Kairi followed the trail in front Sora, hoping to make amends with him by talking to him in the hall. When she was able to assure herself that both her and the brunette were out the door, she turned around, ready to call out to the boy.

The only thing she faced was air.

* * *

><p>Music Arts left little time for confrontations.<p>

Ms. Heartilly smiled at the class, a binder held under her arm. "As I have told you, class, today we're going to do some sight reading. How well you do on the first play will count as your grade." She walked in a slow arc in front of them, adding, "These are some relatively basic pieces that are from MAA II [Music Arts II Advanced], so this should be a rather easy grade for all of you—nothing too stressful." With that, she announced a name, leading the student to the soundproof practice room to evaluate them. Ms. Heartilly's assistant, who also happened to be Kairi's piano teacher, Yuna, instructed the rest of the class to practice their sheet music for their next orchestral performance.

Within time, Kairi was called into the soundproof room, taking a seat at the electronic piano set up in front of her, the stand propped, holding up two papers with black symbols printed over running staffs. "Alright, Kairi, when I say 'ready', begin." Kairi nodded, a few seconds of silence resting between them. "Ready."

**..:::..**

"Wonderful job, dear. Go ahead and continue practicing for the recital. When the bell rings, you're dismissed." Her teacher smiled, soon requesting the next student. Kairi eyed the clock, finding that she had twenty minutes of class left to practice. She sighed, sitting at the piano in discomfort. At that moment, she felt no passion or desire to play. Her twenty minutes passed by soundlessly, her playing weak and slow.

Kairi fell out of her trance when the bell sounded. She snatched her sheet music from the piano, keeping it safe by leaving it in-between two binders in her bag, quickly zipping it up. She frantically looked around the room, hoping to find a certain brunette boy, finding that he was the last in the mob of students exiting the door.

"Sora!" The boy stood at the spot, turning his head only the slightest to see who called out to him. He seemed to let out a sigh, and closed his eyes, turning around to face the redhead. She stood in front of him, not allowing his seven inch advantage intimidate her, glaring somewhat up at his face. "You know," she began, "it would have been a little nice if you helped me out a little." The girl scowled at the end of her sentence, giving him an accusing look. "Why didn't you help me when I asked?"

"**I'm sorry. I don't understand sign language.**"

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><p><strong>Feel lazy? Skip to the bolded bit—your choice matters.<strong>

Hi, guys! I'm so sorry about the three-month-long wait. ;-; I had been busy with JROTC practice the whole month of April, May leaving little time to write due to testing and finals, and I will honestly be truthful and not make up excuses for June. I do apologize if this chapter is crappy and completely out of flow. Like, gawd. Look at this shitty, pathetic mess. I promise I will try to enliven you with a better chapter. I'm so sorry that this one is plain shit. Gah.

On a more "brighter" note, I hope you liked it, at least a little. I also hope you enjoyed that little twist at the end. ;D Ohoho, can anyone guess the outcome? (; But, thank you, for those of you who still supported me. The few of you that reviewed and told me to hurry, I do apologize (your review scared me, so I went to work right away)!

Wow. Up to 39 reviews. Thank you all, so much. I have replied to some reviews personally, due to length, but for those of you who I haven't:

Animelover566 - Thank you for enjoying the chapter! I hope you found this one suitable. ;-;

FloraFaveXNara-Wire - Yes, we will! ^_^

nightwatcher55 - I haven't watched that show, actually. I hear it's funny. :) And thank you, that means a lot! We shall not know until the end. (; Thanks, hope to hear from you soon!

Shadow of the unknown - Thank you, that makes me feel better about my writing, even if it isn't good. Haha. Hope to see you again!

Isabelz3Cookies - Of course I will! My readers are my world. .3.

TheEmoAndTheAngel - Thank you! You are one of the few who have made a hunch of "them". (; Can't spill any secrets though. ;D

Lulu - You are the only one who has made an assumption about Aqua and Sora's and Roxas's problem. I can't say if you're right or wrong, but I do like your guess. (; Thanks, hope to see you soon!

EvanesceAnimi - Thank you for saying so—I try my best to be original in whatever I do, writing no exception! I also thank you for giving me that tip about that characters, despite not using it well in this chapter. In time, however, I hope this will improve. Thank you, I hope to hear from you again!

emeraldsol - Thank you! I'm tring my best! :)

1HellOfAnOtaku - Haha, thank you! I'm trying my best!

sora93kairi - Thanks! I hope to have this more than twenty, at the least. ^_^

kunoichi's diary - I hope to leave a reader questioning—it gives them different ideas and I love to see what they think. :) Come back for next time! :D

Xantaxa539 - You have a good point—I hadn't noticed that at all! Thanks, I try to be as original as I can! It's something new and exciting, don't you agree? :)

Athena's Hatchling - Ah. You. LOL. Hey, der, child! No, I'm not one of the best, but it's nice you think so. :)

Ken7700 - I hope this satisfies! ^_^

SweetAngel92 - These are one of the many questions we must find answers to later on. :) I hope you stay to find out!

Fadedlies - Thanks! Hope to hear from you again!

alieraa-Awh, thank you! There are better SoKai stories, though, trust me! ^_^" Hope to see you soon!

Vi ChaN91312 - Sorry about the wait! Hope this satisfies! :)

**Speaking of that, please visit it and get to know more about me, as a writer/person. My fellow writers have written about me, so you get to see how _people_ see me, not how _I _see myself. If you have taken all your time to read this, I love you. -**insert heart here-

**You all are wonderful people—please visit again! Leave your thoughts and comments**—I love finding out more of what you guys think. **Thank you!**

_-paopufruit-to-go_


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